Max Holloway's victory over UFC 318 was a career first for his old head coach Ivan Flores.
After playing the Evasive Schurkrol during the UFC 318 Fight Week, Max Holloway Dustin Poirier gave a loss in his pension fight on Saturday in New Orleans. In a candidate 'Fight of the Year', Holloway Poirier opened through a unanimous decision in a back and forth between the triple rivals.
Holloway almost finished Poirier in the opening minutes of the fight, after he had dropped Poirier twice in the first round twice in the first round. But Poirier was able to collect as the fight progressed, almost completing Holloway with his striking and with a guillotine choke in round 2.
The chaos that followed at UFC 318, no surprise from Vecht fans, led the Holloway coach to follow an alternative approach between the rounds.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
Coach Ivan Flores explains how Max Holloway's fight on UFC 318 was different from any other career administration
Fight -fans may have noticed a more vocal Holloway corner in between, and during the rounds, on UFC 318. This was due to the hectic pace of the opening minutes that the Coach of Holloway led to act in a way that he does not have at any point in his coaching.
During an interview after the fight with Daniel Cormier, Holloway's head coach Ivan Flores explained why UFC 318 was a first for him in coaching the BMF title holder.
“I had to talk this fight much more than normal,” said Flores about Holloway.
“He just had to be reminded of not going back right away and what not. I think the thing is too, he hurt him earlier, and then he just tried to set a good shot. He hurt him a lot, I just wanted him to be patient, and the opportunities would come. Dustin is a beast.
“Maybe [he’s fallen in love with his power] A bit! Takes another 10 years off my life with stress, but keeps it very exciting for us. “
Fortunately for Holloway and Flores, the BMF champion listened to the targeted advice of his coach on the way to a victory over the jury's score cards. Holloway's victory over UFC 318 left him behind without being swept into two trilogies in his career, which would have left a lasting impact on his estate.
Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling believes that Holloway was taking it easy at Poirier after two early knockdowns, and claimed that Holloway could have ended the fight if he had not 'withdrawn'. At the moment Holloway has not responded to the statements of Sterling.
Now Holloway is right on the door of the possible walking with a former enemy after UFC 318.
Max Holloway responded to Ilia Topuria's Post-Vecht Troll task after UFC 318
After the BMF title defense of Holloway on UFC 318, Ilia Topuria claimed that the BMF -Riem is still my 'after the elimination of Holloway on UFC 308. Holloway did not stop as a reaction, held his former Vederweight rival that he does not own.
Topuria earned the then vacant lightweight title by switching Charles Oliveira on UFC 317 last month. He rose to number 1 in the pound-for-pound ranks of the UFC with the victory.
Topuria vs. Holloway 2 could possibly be the fight to make after UFC 318.